If you find yourself intimidated by using a dip pen, then faux calligraphy is for you! Using the faux calligraphy technique will allow you to make beautiful lettering *today*, and you’ll develop great muscle memory that will come in handy when you decide to pick up a dip pen for the first time.

Faux calligraphy — calligraphy created with any standard writing instrument like a ballpoint pen, chalk, or marker — offers a fantastic introduction to dip pen calligraphy! Additionally, faux calligraphy is a beautiful lettering art form in its own right. In the first half of this blog post, I’ll teach you how to create this fun, accessible form of calligraphy. In the second half, you’ll find inspiration for using it to add beauty to everything from chalkboards to mail art!

How to Make Faux Calligraphy

1. Write the Word or Phrase

To create faux calligraphy, you’ll first want to choose your writing utensil. It can be anything, from a regular pen (like the Pilot G2 shown below) to chalk or a crayon! Use it to write a word or sentence in cursive, and make sure you leave a fair amount of space between the letters.

2. Reinforce Downstrokes

Next, you’re going to reinforce the downstrokes used to create the word. In order to do that, you’ll first want to identify the downstrokes! A downstroke occurs when you pull your pen down to create a stroke. You can see in the photo below that the word “create” is made of several downstrokes.

Next, draw lines that are parallel to your downstrokes. These new lines should hug the contours of your downstrokes. Note that it doesn’t matter which side of each downstroke you draw your new lines in on!

Once you finish drawing in the downstroke reinforcements, your word will look something like the photo below.

3. Fill in the Downstroke Reinforcements

Now that you have created all the downstroke reinforcements, you can use your pen to fill them in!

When you finish, the contrast of the strokes in the word will strongly resemble dip pen calligraphy!

Confused? Here’s a Video!

Sometimes, concepts like this are best described by way of a video. In the following video, you’ll learn how to make faux calligraphy with a regular pen:

I love using the faux calligraphy technique to make Kaitlin Style pieces! Accordingly, I put together this basic Kaitlin Style faux calligraphy exemplar for you to keep at hand for reference. If you’re confused about how to make the letters or you’d like to see uppercase faux calligraphy letters, you can find them in the Kaitlin Style worksheet set.

Faux Calligraphy Inspiration

Even if you are capable of creating dip pen calligraphy, sometimes faux calligraphy is the best technique to utilize. That can be due to a number of reasons — maybe you’re in a situation where you can’t use a dip pen (e.g. a work meeting), maybe your writing surface isn’t conducive to dip pen calligraphy, or maybe you’re just fed up with ink spills and spatters!

Chalkboard Faux Calligraphy

You could arguably use a dip pen and white ink on a chalkboard, but the resulting calligraphy would be tiny. Furthermore, you’d have a headache erasing it! The calligraphy below — made to welcome a guest — was created using standard chalk.

Hand-Lettering + Faux Calligraphy

You can combine faux calligraphy with hand-lettering (decorative, non-cursive writing) to make an art piece like the one below! The stroke contrast in words like “Colby”, “xo”, “Sushi”, and “Cream Cheese Jalapeño Pizza” contrasts beautifully with other styles of lettering. Personalized lettering art like this, which shares cherished experiences and common interests, makes for a wonderful gift!

Faux Calligraphy in Mail Art

You can make lovely mail with faux calligraphy! The envelope below was created using all-lowercase Kaitlin Style lettering (again, you can download an exemplar by clicking here). Notice that the downstroke reinforcements are not filled in. If you like this stylistic variation, as I do, there’s no need to fill in the downstrokes!

No matter what your level of proficiency with a dip pen, I hope that you’ll give this technique a try! While faux calligraphy offers a soft introduction to dip pen calligraphy, it’s not just for beginners. Seasoned calligraphers can also benefit from using it to spice up their lettering creations!

If you have any questions about creating faux calligraphy, please feel free to ask! You can reference any of the premium calligraphy worksheets for faux calligraphy practice. I am a huge proponent of mastering this type of calligraphy before moving on to “real” calligraphy … because that’s how I learned!

Welcome to The Postman’s Knock

I'm Lindsey Bugbee

designer + illustrator + calligrapher

The Postman's Knock is a blog focused on teaching creative techniques and offering guides to learning modern calligraphy and illustration. I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it!

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Browse the most popular categories on the blog, or simply ask a question about calligraphy! With 500+ articles, there is a good chance your calligraphy query has been answered on this site.

I’ve tried several times to start a regular calligraphy practice but I always end up getting frustrated by my inability to use the dip pen correctly. Thank you for the free printable, I’m certainly going to try using this one to start again but with something less intimidating.

Calll me crazy, but I decided to clean (finally) my fountain pens today, after my dip pen arrived. I now have two glass dip pens, one with a lovely purple feather, two nibs with wooden holders (one ia acually a scratch knife), seven regular fountain pens, and two calligraphy sets of pens. (Maybe more, who knows.) So, finally (at 67 years old) I would like to learn Caligraphy…as much as I can learn. I think it would be nice to make cards, and spiff up any correspondence I do as well. I live in Wisconsin, and can’t afford (or make) the trip to Florida, though I wish I could get out your way, but there’s no way I could do a 17+ hour drive to Boulder either. So…if you could point me in the right direction to get started, please? I would appreciate it. (Plese don’t publish my website, since it totally stinks. Thank you.)

Hi Trish! No worries — I’m actually not doing workshops this year anyway as I’m having a baby in September. 🙂 Start with the Beginner’s Modern Calligraphy Online Course! It’s just like taking a workshop with me, but completely at your own pace, and much more economical!

Hi Ms. Lindsey Bugbee! I am a beginner when it comes to calligraphy. I always find many tutorials about doing calligraphy because I am interested in it and it became my new hobby. Your blog helps me to do Faux Calligraphy even though I do not have the things I needed to do it you thought not only me but also every people who visited this blog! I am really thankful because little by little I learn something more about Calligraphy and hope that you will continue on making some tips or lessons in Calligraphy! Looking forward to it!

Hi again! If you are interested in learning how to use a brush pen, that would be a nice progression. 🙂 However, you can learn just as effectively by starting with faux and jumping straight into dip pens. It’s easy to pick up how to use brush pens once you know how to use dip pens!

You’ve got amazing tutorial here! I’ve been reading your posts for more than an hour already and I’m inspired to self-study calligraphy. I’ve been seeing event invitations for calligraphy courses and almost tempted to sign-up together with my daughter. And then I chanced upon your beautiful blog. I’ve listed the basic stuff to purchase and when I’m ready, will come back and purchase your worksheets and videos for beginners. Well start with faux calligraphy. 🙂

I agree!! I have tried other tutorial sites and I have found yours most informative and easy to follow. I like how you take the time to show and explain the strokes. Keep up the great work; I can’t wait to learn more!!

I love calligraphy and practised way back in the early 1970’s. I have to say this is one of the best resources I have come across for practising the art. I have always used a dip pen but am trying to master the brush marker and your worksheets are fantastic. I have tried many websites for inspiration and practice sheets but yours is definitely the best. Thank you so much for inspiring me to start hand lettering once more.

Hi Lindsey!
I’ve been wanting to learn calligraphy for a while and I ran into your site while searching for a how-to earlier. It’s been so helpful! I think I might already have the hang of faux calligraphy. What would be your recommendation as to the best dip pen ink for beginners? I’d really love to start dip pen calligraphy soon.
Thanks! And Happy New Year.

Hi Lindsey! I ran across your site a few months ago but at the time I believed I was in too deep with the Adult Coloring. Lol I’ve thought about lot about it since & dove back in to your website yesterday. 6hrs. later decided to begin with the faux.
I have a question, I am also interested in the brush. I love that you have a new course in it, but 1 thing at a time. Should I purchase the original Kaitlyn to learn the faux, then move onto the Kaitlyn Brush or do you think the Brush can teach me both? You’re so gracious enough to offer these courses at such a low price, I’m not concerned about the cost. I want to begin with what You think would be more beneficial.

That’s a great question … and requires some thought! I think that if you’re interested in the brush pen, then you should definitely start with the Kaitlin Brush course. However, if you’re more interested in dip pen and faux calligraphy, you should start with the original Kaitlin course. The question you have to ask yourself is what do you see yourself using more in the future: a brush pen, or a dip pen/faux calligraphy?

I’m a newbie to everything lol, to calligraphy and hand lettering as well as tPMK. I have been a subscriber for about 8 months or so I believe. it started with DawnNicoleDesigns and a link she had in one if her newsletter goodies. I just absolutely love and adore all the free worksheets I think I must have them all by now as well as Dawn Nicole’s but am going to start buying the premium ones now I think. I mean at the prices u have I would be dumb not to. And videos are awesome im a pretty quick study at anything I put my mind to but am sometimes a visual learner and so need that extra tid bit of help visually. I have been doing the faux calligraphy most every day I just love the way it looks and you have said to master it first. I have purchased several “calligraphy” sets and one dip pen that I found at Walmart for under $9.00 I am liking the dip pen except wish had someone here to neey with to make sure I’m doing it right the pens on the sets that take the cartridges not so much the expensive one I got from Staples the SHEAFFER brand works great but the brand from Amazon STAEDTLER brand oh no 🙁 doesn’t work at all no matter what I do with my position 🙁 plus I have to wear a glove when using ink gets everywhere I cleaned with potato last night like u say in another post we will see this morning. Another set from Barnes and Noble I got called the complete calligraphy set works great as well all have instructions with them as well as paper. Thank you for all the hard work you out forth for us pupils of yours I look forward to your emails every week to see what new thing you have to teach me. I know a lot goes into just one worksheet not to mention a set of them abd you have so many freebies I have made an entire notebook for just hand lettering worksheets a 3 inch binder almost full 🙂 have a wonderful holiday and thank you so much for all you do. A Big Fan, Erica

Lindsey, I recently quit my job and moved to Paris for a few months to explore and travel around France. Now that I have a little more time, I am trying my hand at a few creative projects. I happened to come across your site while doing a search on black paper. It is a beautiful site. I used several of your posts (retro flowers tutorial, henna envelope art, etc.) as inspiration for a couple letters for moreloveletters.com, which I also found out about from your blog.
I just posted my finished letters on my blog.
Thanks so much for this site – I will definitely be here for more inspiration.

Love this tutorial! I use faux calligraphy at church. I have a small notebook that I take to church, and when I come across a verse of scripture that I want to remember, I use faux calligraphy to write it out. Sometimes I think it is prettier than my calligraphy that is done with a dip pen.

Hi Lindsay,
I was wondering if you have any tips for writing faux calligraphy in a notebook. I discovered Bullet Journaling a few weeks ago, and have seen some great calligraphy in the notebooks. When I saw some of the layouts, I immediately thought of your beautiful fonts. I’ve done some of your worksheets in the past, and have a little bit of experience with calligraphy.

The Bullet Journalling inspired me to want to write titles and headings in a beautiful hand, but in a smaller size. Are you familiar with Bullet Journalling? Do you have any tips for writing smaller and on a not always flat surface?

I had heard of bullet journaling before reading your comment, but wasn’t very familiar with it. After spending the past five minutes reading this Buzzfeed article, I am eager to join the bullet journal camp! What a great way to organize yourself and keep a record of everything that’s going on!

As far as adding faux calligraphy to the journal, I’d say to just use a small-tipped pen … for example, a tiny Micron or Pilot G2. The smaller the tip, the better it will be for making tiny faux calligraphy.

Thanks for introducing me to this new world! I think I’ll dedicate this evening to putting together a bullet journal, actually.

Until I found calligraphy a few weeks ago, I have been a dabbler in art all my life, only working on an art form for as long as I could tolerate the supplies overtaking the surfaces of my home. Since finding calligraphy I think I may have found a permanent art form because writing is something you can practice at any time. While at work, far away from my dip pens, I either write on a soft surface with a wide ballpoint pen (to allow different line weights depending on pressure) or I use two pens of different weights to create this effect. Thanks for sharing! I’m so glad I found your blog this morning.